RALPH LEROY SHERMAN HIRSCH

Ralph LeRoy Sherman Hirsch, 93, 1855 Thilenius St., died Friday, July 20, 2001, at The Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

He was born June 24, 1908, in Cape Girardeau, son of Christian and Christina Maevers Hirsch.

Hirsch and Laverne Moore were married Oct. 6, 1940, in Cape Girardeau. She preceded him in death Jan. 30, 1995.

Hirsch graduated from Central High School in 1925 and from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1930. He first worked in the family battery shop at 316 S. Frederick. Together with his brother, Oscar, he started KFVS Radio in the family home in 1925. He retired as manager of KFVS Radio in 1982. He co-owned KSIM Radio in Sikeston.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Cape Girardeau, was a 60-year member of Cape Girardeau Rotary Club and received the Paul Harris Fellow Award. He was a member of Executive Club, was an avid SEMO basketball and St. Louis Cardinal baseball fan. He was also a member of Brockmire Fishing Academy for 60 years, and numerous coffee clubs and bowling leagues.

Mr. Hirsch is survived by two daughters and sons-in-laws, Carole and John Folwell and Mary and Dan Davis of Cape Girardeau; four sons and daughters-in-law, Donald and Faye Hirsch of Glenco, Mo., John and Jeanne Hirsch of Cape Girardeau, Joseph and Susan Hirsch of Ypsilanti, Mi., and Charles and Jane Hirsch of Cape Girardeau.

He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Mary Grace Folwell of Philadelphia, Pa., Nathan Thomas Folwell of San Francisco, Calif., Datra Denise DeNoyer and husband, Scott, of O'Fallon, Mo., Eric Christian Hirsch of Mountain View, Calif., Jason Edward Hirsch of Rochester, N.Y., Amanda Kay Hirsch of Carmel, Ind., Rachel Amy Hirsch and Ilene Elizabeth Davis of Cape Girardeau.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, three brothers and two sisters.

Visitation will be this evening, 5 to 8 p.m. at Ford & Sons Mt. Auburn Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be Monday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home, with the Rev. Paul Kabo Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in Lorimier Cemetery.